Just when it felt like they would all jump on her and crush her, the soldiers around the bed suddenly backed off and left the room, leaving only two, both standing a respectable distance away from her. And, well, the pile of unconscious bodies on the floor. While the danger was far from over, the sudden decrease in flesh, metal and piercing eyes in the room drained the tension somewhat. Just in time, too, because Evarista was about to get a heart attack. The desperate thumping in her chest made her entire body jerk with each painful strike, and her already deathly complexion was faded to the point that she actually looked dead. Her bloodshot eyes never left the white-eyed leader, but he made no move.
After a short period of silence, which seemed like an eternity to her, she realized that there would be no more violence and began to calm down. The acolyte's words assured her safety and were like a soothing balm to her mind, despite her total distrust of him and his motives.
What he said next puzzled her, however, and it took a few double-takes before the message of his words reached her. Work? What? What kind of nonsense was he on about? She asked herself that over and over while he gently offered his hand to help her off the bed. Her only reaction was to lean away from him, and only when he withdrew and stepped away did she slowly begin moving, rigidly swinging her feet down to the floor.
Hugging the bunched-up blanket as if it would protect her, the rattled girl edged to follow the agent to the door, gingerly stepping over the knocked-out guardsmen. Hwyn was not in the room, she noticed. The soldiers that left earlier must have carried him out. She was still not sure what exactly they wanted and what this mess meant. It was the first time in her life she witnessed the Black Sun in an armed invasion of the estate. Invasion was really the only word for what they were doing, and they seemed pretty casual about it. The sanctity of "home" felt gone to her, perhaps forever.
The agent continued talking, drawing her out of her sinister thoughts with a start. Wayward decisions of yesterday... so the severed limb was her doing after all? Evarista's pulse began rising rapidly again. She closed her eyes, hoping the everything would be gone when she opened them again. I took another pause for her to calm down, leaning on the wall for support and breathing heavily.
The agent spoke for the last time. She opened her eyes slowly, meeting his gaze from beneath half-closed eyelids. His stare was as sharp as the keenest blade, but it seemed to go straight through her without fazing her in the least. Not even the sharpest blade can cut fog.
Her ringing ears only heard the last word. Rhysol.
"Rhysol...?"
She repeated it quietly and half-dreamily, as if the word itself was magical. It was, in a way. It held a mystical quality. As far back as she could remember, she was told that Rhysol would protect her. Rhysol would make sure she didn't come to harm. Rhysol was always there for her. This thought returned to her occasionally, and while the idea of someone always watching her made the hair on her neck stand up, she told herself that it was for her own benefit. He was always there so that he could come to her aid when she needed it. Right?
"Rhysol...", she mumbled again, addressing no one in particular.
Even now, Rhysol saw this happen to her. Why did he let it happen? Wasn't he supposed to show up right about now and clean out the bad guys?
Well, Rhysol, if you're supposed to protect me, you're doing a really lousy job right now. As Evarista thought that, she was suddenly overcome by a powerful wave of resentment, directed at that invisible presence that made the hair on her neck rise. He saw this. He wanted this. These men were from the sacred temple. They were far closer to the great god than she would ever be. And they were her enemies. Did that mean Rhysol was... her enemy?
None of this showed in her eyes, because nothing ever showed there at all. The agent was met with the same pair of flat mirrors staring back at him unblinkingly. Eventually, she lowered her gaze and nodded demurely in reply to his question. She was completely calm now.
"Of course. For Rhysol..."
by Evarista on September 16th, 2017, 5:30 pm 
